Greater New Orleans

State government pay raises on table for suspension

The Civil Service Commission is talking about whether to suspend annual pay raises for 56,000 rank-and-file government workers next year.

Hilary Scheinuk, The Times-Picayune archiveGov. Bobby Jindal

The commission plans to discuss the matter Wednesday after delaying action a month earlier.

Gov. Bobby Jindal has asked for the 4 percent pay raises, called "merit pay," to be barred in the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. The governor says the raises are inappropriate with the state facing a hefty $1.6 billion shortfall next year.

If approved by the commission, it would be the second year of pay freezes. The Jindal administration estimates it could save the state $55 million next year.

Jindal says he'll stop pay hikes next year for political appointees that are under his control and not under the oversight of the Civil Service Commission.